Dehradun: Inclement weather badly hampered cremation of bodies and removal of debris at Kedarnath on Friday. It also affected distribution of relief materials in over 200 segregated villages where people have lost their homes and are faced with acute foodgrains shortage.

A 200-member team of experts drawn from different departments is already at the Himalayan shrine to speed up removal of debris and disposal of already decomposing bodies.

While 36 bodies were cremated in shrine area earlier, 23 more bodies were cremated at Gaurikund and Junglechatti close to the temple on Wednesday after a gap of several days due to bad weather, DIG Amit Sinha said.

However, not much has been done since Friday morning with rains lashing Kedarghati. Most of the officials admitted that the weather is hampering the exercise. Distribution of relief in about 240 villages totally cut off is another headache for the administration.

Tonnes of relief material provided by the administration, different states, political parties and NGOs are still stuck in government godowns of Guptkashi and Joshimath.